A measuring container having a measuring head, a storage portion and a modified pour-spout, which serves to accurately measure discrete amounts of liquid poured out from the container, is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,859, issued Mar. 21, 1978. A modification of the container disclosed in the foregoing patent is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,038, issued Nov. 3, 1981, which includes a second opening, spaced-apart from the pour-out opening in the top of the container, the second opening being designed to facilitate filling the container.
It has been found that there is a need to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of manufacturing and filling containers of the types disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide structures and procedures which reduce the number of operational steps and which facilitate automation in the manufacture and filling of measuring containers of the general types disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038.
These and other objects are achieved by providing a primary storage container which is formed as a unitary body with a measuring head, wherein an insert plug interposed in a neck separating the primary container and the measuring head, may be removed during the manufacturing process to facilitate interposing a fill tube through the pour-out mouth, and reinserted after the initial process is completed to provide a separation between the measuring head and the primary container.
In a first embodiment which includes a single pour-out mouth at the top of the container, the insert plug is formed integrally with a modified pour spout, which is totally removed from a neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container during the initial filling process to accommodate a fill tube inserted through the pour-out mouth, and extending through the neck into the storage container. When the initial filling has been completed, the insert is seated in the neck between the measuring head and the primary container, so that the modified pour-spout extends upward adjacent the rear wall of the measuring head, opening at its lower end into the primary storage container, and its upper end, opening into the measuring head, while sealing the primary opening between the storage container and the measuring head.
In a second type of embodiment of the invention having a single pour-out opening at the top, the neck between the primary storage container and the measuring head is vertically aligned with the primary pour-out opening, so that when the plug is removed, a fill tube can be interposed through the primary opening and down through the neck into the primary storage container. In a modification of this, in which the primary pour-out opening is disposed near the top of the container, but at an angle to the top, the neck opening is diagonally aligned with the pour-out opening, so that the fill tube can be interposed at an angle through the pour-out opening and the neck into the primary storage container. In each of the embodiments of the second type, the modified pour tube which communicates through its lower end with the primary storage container, and through its upper end with the measuring head, is formed by compression-molding a tube into the area in back of the measuring head. In these designs, the handle may be formed in the usual manner being sculpted into the side of the primary storage container.
An alternative to the removable plug for closing off the neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container is to form the neck area as an annular ring which is internally concave. After the fill tube is withdrawn from the primary container, the annular concave ring is depressed externally by automatic means to form an internally convex seal in the neck.
In a third type of embodiment which has a separate filler opening, as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,038, and therefore, does not need a removable plug, the modified pour-spout is formed by compression-molding a tube in the area back of the measuring head in the manner of the second type, the separate filler opening being sealed once the filler operation is complete.
Each of the designs of the present invention lends itself to automation as applied during the manufacturing and filling processes.
The configuration of the first embodiment permits straight injection of the filling tube through the common opening between the primary storage chamber and the measuring head. In this case, the pour-out opening at the top of the measuring chamber has to be large enough to allow the fill tube to be offset to the center line of the common opening for insertion. After filling, the insertion plug is inserted by means operating vertically, along a straight line, and the closure applied in the usual manner. In the second type of embodiment, the closure opening is aligned with the common opening, but is set at the same angle as the empty angle of the measuring container. For the filling operation either the filling nozzle or the container must be oriented to line up the closure opening and the common opening. When the operation is complete, the plug is automatically interposed into the separating neck along the same line.
It will be understood that each of the embodiments described is especially adapted to be manufactured and filled automatically with a minimum number of operational steps.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood with reference to the attached drawings and the specification hereinafter.